Stawell's pharmacies have been struggling to supply patients with the medications they need, as regional areas bare the brunt of supply chain issues.
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The Australia's Medicine Supply report, released by the Institute for Integrated Economic Research last year, revealed Australia imports about 90 per cent of its medicines.
The report said Australia was "at the end of a very long global supply chain, making the nation vulnerable to supply chain disruptions".
As a result, Stawell's pharmacies were faced with numerous shortages and have needed to band together to ensure residents didn't go without the medicine they needed.
Stawell Pharmacy manager Scott Savage said his store had struggled most with stocking blood pressure, mental health medicines and some forms of antibiotics.
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"There's been a number of shortages, and it has been recognised that not just in Victoria, but nationwide there have issues," he said.
"There's a range of different reasons and you can't put your finger on one. There are just a range of different ones and they all intertwine unfortunately.
"There is more than one medicine to treat a condition, so in a lot of cases we have been speaking to the doctors or working with other pharmacies to potentially try to get the same product or one that will work just as effectively.
"Shortages in medicines are an ongoing thing, but there has been more of a spike with the different effects of COVID, but its a well known issue."
Similar problems have also been felt at the Grampians Pharmacy.
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Pharmacist manager Tafadzwa Magwanyamwanya said they have suffered shortages of anti-depressants, contraception and had some issues obtaining thyroid and blood pressure medication.
"I'm not even sure why we can't get them," she said.
"Last year was definitely worse, there were a lot of things out of stock, but it is starting to get better.
"I think there must've been some changes and this is helping us get more stock.
"Normally we just contact the doctor and see if there is a replacement drug that the patient can get, so that way they don't go without any medication or some times we have to use different strength medication in different doses to meet their needs."
In the Australia's Medicine Supply report it stated Australia has a complex medicine supply industry that relies heavily on overseas manufacturing, meaning it can be more susceptible to supply weaknesses.
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